Have I Told You (PUBLISHED)

Chapter Twelve

"Ahhh." So yung sinasabi niyang nang-iwan sa kanya, daddy niya. My assumption was right, then. "Do you want him to come back?" What a question, Tyrese. Of course, who doesn't?

"I'm a coward, but do you know what I fear the most?"

I stare at him, but he doesn't want to look at me. He's not comfortable sharing his story, but he still shares anyway.

"It's him... coming back. I don't want him to come back."

"Why are you suddenly telling this?"

"Kaibigan kita, 'di ba?" He looks at me. "I'm actually relieved that you're not perfect. If you are, then I really don't know if I can handle being friends with you."

"Talaga?" Nasobrahan ata ako ng iyak kanina dahil nahihilo na ko. I lean my head on his shoulder. "Marami bang tao kanina? I think, I heard a lot of people calling my name."

"Oo, marami."

"Bakit bigla silang nawala? Did I scare them?"

"I asked them to leave."

"Bakit? At paano mo nalaman yung Oh My Darling Clementine?"

Tinawagan daw siya ni Ahia. Siya yung nagsabi sa kanya na paalisin yung mga tao at patugtugin yung kanta. "Hintayin mo lang. Tatawag ulit sila."

"Sinabi mo sa kanila?" For sure, alalang alala na silang lahat!

As if on cue, nag vibrate yung phone ni Eisley. Cellphone talaga niya! He gives me his phone and tells me to answer it. Kinakabahan ako. My mom, dad, and ahia talk to me, asking me if I'm okay. Muntik na silang pumunta sa Cebu. Buti na lang, napigilan ko sila.

Nalaman ni Mama na kasama ko si Eisley, pero hindi naman siya nagalit. Actually, thankful nga siya dahil nandito siya. Mukhang inexplain na rin ni Ahia sa kanila kung bakit ko siya kasama.

Weird nga. Bakit hindi na lang nila ni-loud speaker?

Hindi rin nagtagal, nagpaalam na sila. Magpahinga na raw ako, pero gusto pa muna nilang kausapin si eisley. Binigay ko kay Eisley yung phone. Nagtaka nga siya noong una, pero kinausap din naman niya sila. Ang tagal nilang nag-uusap.

"Anong sabi?" tanong ko.

"Bantayan daw kita hanggang sa makatulog ka."

"Sinabi 'yun ni Mama? Si Ahia, ano sabi? Si Papa?"

"Sabi nila, 'wag daw kitang gagalawin."

I knew it. Tinanong ko si Eisley kung nasaan si Lola Linda. Sabi niya, nasa ibang hotel room. Sinamahan na siya ng caregiver niya sa loob ng kwarto.

"You saved her life. She was about to... you know, but when you started screaming and crying, her caregiver and I immediately went to your room. She was scared. Everyone was," he says. Still, nakita pa rin niya yung nangyari. "Gusto mo na bang umuwi bukas?" he asks.

I shake my head. "Sayang yung binayad nila Mommy Sexy."

"Okay lang 'yun. Maiintindihan naman nila."

"Alam ko, pero-"

Umiling siya. "Okay lang, matulog ka na."

He stands up, extending his hand to me as I place my hand in his and stand up. I thank him for not judging me. He doesn't even ask what happened. He's just... there. Parang noong second year high school lang kami. He was scared, but he didn't make it obvious.

"I think, you should know..." I say. Nasa kama na ako at nakatagilid. Siya naman, nakaupo sa kabilang kama. "This will be really hard, but you deserve to know." I play the song Oh My Darling Clementine just in case something happens again. Nakita na niya lahat. Ano pang itatago ko?